Inventors

November 13, 2011

Getting a patent has never been easy, but here's one way it used to be even more challenging...

Shortly after the birth of the United States, the Patent Act of 1790 required inventors applying for a U.S. patent to submit a model of the their invention to help inspectors understand the design. Over 200,000 models were submitted during the following 90 years. But after two fires and a shortage of storage space, the model requirement was abolished in 1880.

Fortunately, a few thousand of those models have been preserved over the years, in a private collection, and about 30 of them will be featured in the Smithsonian next month. They include a paper-bag-making machine (shown below), a horse-shoe-making machine, and--you guessed it--a better mousetrap. If you visit the exhibit, please tell us what you think of it.

November 28, 2010

I’d like to tell you a story. It’s a true story about an inventor like you—and it has a happy ending!

Soon after the events of “9/11,” people started displaying flags above their car windows to show their support and patriotism. Some cars even displayed a flag on each side. A woman named Sue, who had no experience inventing, envisioned an alternative to the car flags, one that could spread joy during certain holidays throughout the year—for example, antlers at Christmas time; bat wings at Halloween; bunny ears at Easter.

Sue began making prototypes, testing them, and trying to sell them on her own. Years passed, and the results were below her expectations. Although she was disappointed, she didn’t give up. Instead, she partnered with AbsolutelyNew.

We saw the potential of this clever invention and offered her a compelling licensing deal, which she gladly accepted. After we redesigned the product to improve the quality and decrease the cost, we manufactured it and started selling it through leading retailers, such as Amazon. We even made a video for it and got the product featured on national TV. Now it’s selling very well and customers love it.

Of course, the inventor is thrilled—and so are we! Now, we’re seeking more promising products to bring to market. Do you think yours has the potential to become our next hit? Then call us today at 1-888-946-8368 to discuss our unique process and affordable services. Our conversation will be completely free and confidential.

October 10, 2010

1. Live the Dream. Many inventors dream of a better life – for themselves and the world around them. They clearly imagine their invention contributing to society, and contributing to their income. While that’s an important part of the process, it’s just the beginning. Unfortunately, most inventors get stuck in the dream stage – until they discover that someone else has beaten them to the market with a similar concept. It’s important to keep moving forward – with action. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; just try to minimize them by learning from others.

2. Apply When Ready. After the “light bulb moment”, many inventors race to file a patent application. That’s not always the best approach. Delaying your patent application can reduce your expenses because during the development process an invention can evolve rapidly, especially if you’re designing around existing patents; and your early filing may not adequately cover the evolved version. In addition, filing later can give you more time because the patent clock will start when you’re ready to begin marketing, not while you’re still developing it. In any case, at the beginning of the commercialization process, you should conduct a thorough patent search, perform a detailed competitive analysis, and consult your patent attorney.

3. Collect “Real” Feedback. Believing in your invention is very important. But make sure that belief is based on market realities. Asking your friends/family for their feedback is a great start. But you need to get independent feedback, too. Companies, like ours, deploy surveys to large groups and conduct focus groups. If you have a limited budget, you could ask people passing by in the mall (after you’ve filed your patent application). Be sure to ask at least a dozen individuals in your target market, listen carefully, and take notes. It will help you determine if you should proceed with your invention, and how to effectively position it against competitive products.

4. Develop a Line. Companies will be much more interested in your invention if it is part of a product line (a bunch of related products). You could try to make it part of the retailer’s current product line. Or try to make your own line. The line could include variations of your original product (such as sizes, colors, and shapes) or complementary products, such as stuff that goes inside of your product. In retail stores, this can provide you with more “shelf facings” (products of yours next to each other across the shelf), which means greater exposure, and in turn, greater sales. AbsolutelyNew has done this very effectively in PETCO stores to secure an endcap (a prominent end-of-aisle display).

5. Explore Licensing Opportunities. While retailers like new products, they don’t like dealing with inventors, or even single-product companies. Mainly because retailers don’t think independent inventors can deliver their product on time and in budget. Developing a new product requires a sizable capital investment, and scaling up production requires much more because there’s a large “cash gap” that must be financed for months between the time you place your order with factory and the time you get paid by the retailer. Licensing your patent to an established manufacturer (in exchange for royalty payments) turns this, and many other risks and responsibilities, to an entity better equipped to manage them.

6. Get Some Help. Some inventors try to do everything themselves. They usually fail. It’s just too difficult to be good at everything. So get help from others, such as companies that develop and launch products every day. You can try to work with a variety of companies to assist with various aspects of the process, but there are efficiency advantages to working with just one company that provides a range of services under one roof, which usually translates into a lower cost for you.

October 03, 2010

AbsolutelyNew has just announced a strategic partnership with
PetSmart, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of pet products.
AbsolutelyNew will provide PetSmart with an ongoing stream of innovative products that will be sold under PetSmart’s proprietary brands.

The companies began quietly working together about a year ago, meeting frequently since then to make rapid progress. Now, dozens of products are in development, and many of them are projected to launch in the next year.

The first product to launch in this partnership, under PetSmart’s new Bounce™ brand, is an innovative new dog leash. This striking 16-foot retractable leash features a comfortable ergonomic handle which has an integrated carabiner clip for securing the leash to stationary objects. It also uses AbsolutelyNew’s patent-pending Trig-Lock™ system to quickly and easily lock and unlock the leash. And it features high visibility reflectors on the sides for extra safety. This new leash will arrive in stores nationwide in early October, in three sizes and a variety of colors.

“We’re very excited about our partnership with AbsolutelyNew, which will enable us to provide our customers with the most innovative new pet products for many years to come” said Allen Hembree, PetSmart’s Vice President of Proprietary Brands and International Sourcing.

“Many of the products we’re providing to PetSmart came from the fertile minds of independent inventors,” said Richard Donat, AbsolutelyNew’s CEO. “Our special relationship with PetSmart will enable us to help even more inventors bring their pet invention ideas to the market, and to achieve even greater success with them.”

July 30, 2010

Jon Dudas' distinguished career includes significant contributions to the field of Intellectual Property on behalf of inventors. From 2004-2009, Jon served as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He was appointed to this position by the President of the United States.

As Director of the USPTO, Jon was responsible for administering the laws and regulations related to granting patents and trademarks, and the day-to-day management of the agency's $1.7 billion budget and over 8,000 employees. Previously, as Staff Director and Deputy General Counsel for the House Committee on the Judiciary, he guided enactment of major patent, trademark and copyright policy, including the last major legislation regarding U.S. intellectual property, the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999.

In June of 2010, Jon became President of FIRST, a not-for-profit organization (founded by prolific inventor Dean Kamen), that inspires students and professionals in engineering and technology fields, with the long-term aim of increasing the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy.

June 08, 2010

With so many people trying to find solutions to the fix the oil leak in the Gulf, you can now add elementary-school children. In this particular video, two grade-school children present an idea for how to stop the leak---proof that thinking about innovation and finding ways to solve problems can begin at almost any age!

The electric car is once again in the national spotlight as
automobile manufacturers compete to create a more environmentally friendly
vehicle.The Obama Administration has
set a lofty goal for the U.S.
transportation industry: 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by
2015.Here is a look at one innovative
car that might be popping up on freeways across the country starting next year.

The Aptera 2e is a plug-in, all-electric vehicle.The three-wheeled car seats two, travels up
to 100 miles on a single charge and can reach a speed of 90 mph.Equipped with state of the art safety
features including a race car-like passenger safety zone, the Aptera 2e is as
safe as any car on the road according to Aptera Motors CEO Paul Wilbur.What makes the car truly unique is its aerodynamic
design.The vehicle resembles the shape
of a bird gliding through the wind, allowing the Aptera 2e to work with the
wind rather than against it.Priced
between $25,000 and $40,000, the Aptera 2e was designed to be affordable for
the average family.Can you see yourself
driving this car?

April 14, 2010

We’re back from the Stanford Cool
Product Expo!The event, held annually
on the StanfordUniversity campus, showcases interesting products and projects from start-ups,
university research labs, global manufacturers and local design studios.We were excited to exhibit at the show so
that we could show off some of our newest products and present alongside some
of the brightest minds in Silicon Valley.

Everyone
was interested in testing out our products and finding out more about AbsolutelyNew.In addition to networking with other local
companies, we also had the chance to speak with students in the Stanford
Graduate School of Business and EngineeringSchool.Stanford has no shortage of creative thinkers
and product designers who were anxious to give us feedback on our products and
share some of their own work with us. The show was a big success, and we can’t wait
to return next year.

Did
you attend the show this year and get a chance to stop by our booth?We would love to hear what you thought of the
product samples we were displaying and any other cool products you saw at the
expo this year.

February 26, 2010

Olympic Skiers, Hockey Players
and Skaters have all been using Kinesio Tex Tape to help relieve pain and
promote healing of injured muscles.Olympic Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn used the athletic tape to help
recover from a shin injury that almost prevented her from racing in the
Olympics.The athletic tape is the
invention of Dr. Kenzo Kase, a chiropractor who was looking for a better sports taping method to assist in the healing of traumatized
tissue.Kase found that standard taping techniques, such as athletic
taping and strapping, provided muscle and joint support, but also reduced range
of motion and in many cases inhibited the actual healing process of traumatized
tissue.The new and improved athletic
tape that Kase developed is able to aid the lymphatic and muscle systems, while
simultaneously supporting joints and muscles.

Kinesio Taping has become one of the fastest growing sport
treatment modalities in the world.It is
an official medical supplier for the
U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association and the product is on the international
spotlight in Vancouver.

Do you have a sports-related
invention that could help athletes enhance their form, train more efficiently
or recover from injuries?Perhaps it
could help you win too…